May: Growing Boys



Luke turned 11 months on April 27th,
but I was so busy I didn't get his pics 'til May 1!  Handsome guys!



Luke is such a joyful boy.  Thank you, Lord!

He's learning to pull himself up and stand.

May 8th, Elijah turned 4!  Here is his fire truck cake.
(Cheri, thanks for the new bags!)

We got to open Grandma's present--3 boys!
(P.S. This post is mostly for my Mom!  Bear with us here on the multiple
family pics =)...also this is only one day of the many we've had lately--no time for pics).

A new outfit from the Grandparents.  E loves frogs!  Special birthday boy!

The party started with E's favorite game.
We did "Pin the dalmation on the fire truck".

His little friends gathered by his side for story time.

I'm thankful to Rachel for taking pics for me.
If you enlarge this, you can see how sweaty I am!  You'd think
I had really gone into a fire or something crazy!

Our buddy Michael came to join the fun.
I laugh the most at myself in this one, drippy sweaty Mama,
pouring out buckets of love for this guy.

Here are the attendees, with Elijah in the middle saying,
"I'm FOUR!"

Little firemen putting out the big fire with spray bottles.

Swimming fun (after the crazy water balloon toss in the front).

Mr. Becker brought his band class to the house (out the back gate)
for a "Happy Birthday to Elijah" song.

Then for a surprise date, I took Elijah to find some real fire trucks.
His face looks so terrified in this as I just randomly posed him for a pic.
He was afraid it would start moving for a real emergency. I guess
I should have prepped him more before the picture.
Did you know they have green fire trucks?!  Also white, red, yellow...

There were no firemen at the green one, so we found the
oldest station in the city.  Elijah still isn't sure about this,
but Mama knows it will be FUN!

I think I'm having more fun than E.  We got to sit in the truck
and how fun to randomly show up and get a tour!  Only in the Philippines!

For fun they even rang the bell for us, and this
fireman got his gear on and slid down the pole for a demo.
This time I had to prep E so he would know it wasn't a real emergency.

I think this was a pretty fun date. Do you recognize that cute firefighter?
Yes, I remember being in elementary school and wishing I could try it on.
Now is my chance!  E didn't want to try the hat.  Very hot and heavy!

Finally, at the end I think he was warming up to the truck.
What a fun birthday!  I can't believe in four years you can graduate from college,
or you can have 3 babies!  Crazy years--full years--special years!

April Was A Full Month



The Women's Livelihood Center
was dedicated in April.



Pastor Norman and Pastor Alvin led in the prayer
and Scripture reading.

The left side of Weng-Weng's house upstairs
is the room where the ladies will make
cards and other projects.  This house was built
with donations from some of our readers here!
Praise the Lord for using this house for His glory!

Here's the ladies who are excited to be a part.
Feel free to order some cards online with Care Channel International.

Nate also kept busy preparing for the "American Pop Forever"
high school musical performance.

Students had fun learning about oldies songs from the US.

Nate's favorite part was the music of course!  The jazz band!

You should see this guy directing from the piano!  It is so fun for me
to see him totally in his element!

Here's a view of the singers/dancers and musicians.

Here's my favorite view of Nate's hands in action.

Now to change gears, this is posted partly for my Mom and grandparents.
Here you can see Lavelle's name in the program for her graduation!

Lavelle gets escorted in by her proud father.

Here's the fam!

Lavelle smiling with her classmates as they perform a graduation song.

Lavelle and her parents!

Me and the fam!

Mom, this one is for you!  She carried this around so proudly!

Lavelle's classmates.

Me and Lavelle!  She did it!  Praise God!

Gigutom Sa Ginoo--Hungry For God

 At 3 a.m. these faithful women began their prayer walk to the wharf.  I was still sleeping (only my camera went that early).

 Later, when the sun was up, I joined the other ladies on the boat to Samal island.  What a perfect day for a retreat!

 50 Cebuano women were invited to hunger for God: "Gigutom Sa Ginoo".  The Lord gave me a song and a message for the ladies in Cebuano.  Thank you, Lord, for the tongue to speak to their hearts!  Can you see me way up there playing mandolin? 

 One of my friends personally sewed each lady a unique cover for her journal.  What a gift!  The ladies love them and will treasure them their whole lives, I'm sure!

 Here's the song I wrote--straight from Salmo 63:1 & 5.  "Oh God you are my God, earnestly I seek you.  My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you....My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods."

 Here is Emi, my sister.  I cannot do anything without her--we are like David and Jonathan!    After I spoke in Cebuano (the message she helped me write and translate), then she cleared everyone up about what I was trying to say!  Haha!  Thank you, Lord, for Emi!

 The ladies had two "dates with God".  I loved finding this lady up in a tree seeking the Lord!

 The ladies are pouring out their hearts to the Lord together.  We were so thankful it was also Good Friday, so we could have communion together and remember the body and blood of Jesus.

 Feasting on the Word of God: "Pulong Sa Ginoo".

"This is my body, broken for you...."  Hands to receive the bread and hearts to receive the Word."

 Emi serving again!  This picture is special to me because Sharon is there receiving the communion bread for the first time.  She is Kuya Jun's wife, who we reached out to in the fire incident.  Now she is part of the body of Christ!  She enjoyed the day very much, and learned so much!  Thank you, Lord!

 I like this picture: body, blood and you can see the notebook my friend sewed.  Lord, let us receive your Word.

 Ladies enjoyed the small group discussion time.  The questions helped to challenge the women to go deeper in their hunger for God.  Many fresh tears were shed, and many ladies were blessed and refreshed.

 The theme for the retreat: Hungry for God.  I think it is interesting how God used that story with Malachi to spark many different opportunities to challenge such a variety of people, especially me!  Wow, you never know how the Lord will use something like your son falling off a bike, for His glory!

 That afternoon we had a time for "praying the Psalms".  It was the first time for many of them to practice praying the scriptures together.  This was my favorite part of the whole thing.  I remember being a little girl and imagining myself sharing the Word of God with people in another country in their own language.  There I was!  Hearing them praying the Psalms in their language, to the Glory of God!  I get chills even now to remember hearing their voices in prayer.

 Ladies really enjoyed a craft time to get their hands on the Word in a tangible take-home way.  Thankfully, another friend helped me to gather these materials--the body of Christ in action again.

This is an example of our craft.  It is fun to see them hanging in the homes of these women--one of the most colorful things in the house.  What a way to honor the Word of the Lord and to remember the scripture verse from our retreat.

 Here we are--all 50 of us, plus the babies.  We are holding our finished craft. 

Time to return home!  In January I remember leading worship at our "foreigners" ladies retreat.  We went to this same resort, which was my first time to that one.  While I was there I had the dream and prayer that one day I would bring the Cebuano ladies with me.  My eyes welled up with tears as I took the boat home with them--indeed the Lord answered my prayer that I could really bring them with me.  That is how I also feel about heaven--that I will not just go alone but will take many people with me, by the grace of God through Jesus!

Thanks for all your prayers--and thank you, Lord, for answering!

Luke 10 Months

 Malachi gets buried in the sand.  Fun boy--toes sticking out!

 Elijah is such a cute little guy.  He keeps telling Malachi that he gets to do things because he's "almost 4".  Kids really like to speed up their growth, eh?  He'll be 4 in one month!

 Luke turned 10 months on March 27th.  He is finally weaned!  That is actually the earliest that I've had a son weaned, but when I say finally I really mean to emphasize the fact that I finally get to sleep all night!!  Yay!

 He is such a cuddly guy--but he may be a while before he walks.  I think I just like to hold him so much (and protect him from older brother).

I love this one with my baby!  Son, Mama loves you!  Thank you, Lord, for my boy!  What a blessing!

"Remember Me"

Easter is my favorite holiday of the year.  I love the music that has been written to celebrate Jesus, but even more I love my Jesus!  I am so thankful for the resurrection, because this gives me hope for eternal life.

"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins....
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead!!" 1 Corinthians 15:17-18

HE IS RISEN!!!

Here's a cool email my friend sent me today.  Let us remember Jesus, and keep our eyes ever on Him.

"Hi you all,
I was really blessed by this, so wanted to share it. It's a prayer of Dr. John Aker that he shared with our mission from his Good Friday devotional time. It is just an excerpt. I hope it blesses you.
--Rachel"


Father God,
What is the mood
Among Your Heavenly Court
This day?
Is it somber--fully reflective--
As The Redeemed of all the ages
Remember the story...
As they see even now,
Before their own eyes (and they surely do!)
The only man-made things in Heaven--the nail prints in
My Savior's Hands and Feet?

Or, is it a day of great rejoicing
As they look beyond
The tragedy of His Death
To the triumph of His Empty Tomb?
Does the early band that
Followed the Master
Ever recall
Their confusion,
Their pain
And their hurried flight in the dead and dread of that night?


Does Mary, His Mother,
Regard the piercing of His Sacred Side
As the final thrust of that sword
Which Simeon years before--
On the day Mary presented Her Child in The Temple--
Prophesied would pierce even her own soul?



And Father,
Do You and The Son ever speak
Of that awful moment for which He was born--
When He became the very embodiment of sin itself,
And You, Whom He so dutifully and devotedly called Abba,
Turned Your Back on Him?



Father,
Is that pain still there?
Can its memory ever be erased from Your Mind--
From Your Heart in which you purposed and planned all this in Eternity Past
Simply because
You loved us

It is getting lighter now, Father--
But still a bit dark
And kind of dreary.
In truth, I prefer
It that way today.


In the press of all
That is before me,
I do not want
To forget
What this day means for all men--
Even those who
Neither acknowledge nor appreciate
Calvary’s Criminal on That Central Cross.


The crosses on Skull Hill
Are clearly visible to my mind’s eye.
But I want, and I need, this picture
To be implanted
Deep within my rebel heart
My whole life long...


Father,
Even--no, especially--
Amidst the busyness of the day before me,
I long for the reason for His Cross
To become all the more real...
All the more personal
To me
Because,
By the work of Your Spirit,
I understand full well
That Jesus, Your Son,
Bled and died For me...


The sounds about me now, Lord,
Tell me that Your world is waking.
Before long it will be
Business as usual...


But, Father, I really do not want it to be
Business as usual for me--
Not today, God...
Not ever again.


As I go place to place today, Father,
In my very hurried and harried schedule
Keep my mind and heart stayed
On That Day--
Truly the highest and holiest
Of all holy days.


May His Passion and pain be imprinted as deeply in my mind and heart
As were the wounds in His hands, feet, and side.

Rice or Bread

http://us5earthenvessels.blogspot.com/2010/07/rice-or-bread.html

I am learning more about writing from my new editor.  She was the one who helped me edit the story I recently emailed to many of you: "3 Days Without Food--Hungry?". 

Related to the message I wrote is a link above from her blog that I highly recommend.  It gives you a glimpse into our culture of the hungry and of rice. 

May we be thankful for our plenty and hunger for more of Him.